1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to an air conditioner for an enclosed space such as the cabin of an automotive vehicle or the like, and more specifically to an improved arrangement which controls the cabin environment in response to various factors affecting same.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In a previously proposed air conditioning arrangement for an automotive vehicle, it has been proposed to discharge the same temperature air into both the upper and the lower sections or regions of the cabin in an effort to acheive a uniform temperature throughout the cabin. However, in the winter, for example, on sunny days, even though the temperature of the air in the lower region about the legs of the cabin passengers tends to be appropriately controlled, the upper region is, under such conditions, additionally heated by the solar energy entering thereinto, whereby the temperature of the upper region of the cabin tends to rise undesirably above that required. In the summer the reverse situation, wherein the lower section tends to be overly cooled, occurs.
Furthermore, with the above mentioned arrangement, during cold engine starts in cold weather, in order to avoid blowing cold air into both the upper and lower regions of the cabin, the air conditioner blower is (during automatic operation mode) not energized until the temperature of the engine coolant has risen sufficiently to enable adequate heating of the air. However, this delay tends to induce concern in the user that the air conditioner is in fact not functioning properly.